Mars
The god of war and son of heaven and earth, Mars was cast down for his arrogance to wage war among mortals, finding glory in endless conflict.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“War is my domain, battle is my creed. Master these principles, and victory is not hoped for—it is inevitable.”
Know Your Terrain
Every tree, cliff, and building is your weapon. Study the battlefield - your Spear's effectiveness depends on your terrain awareness.
Control the Space
Arena of Blood doesn't just trap enemies - it creates your battlefield. Position it to cut off assists, isolate targets, or protect allies.
Tank Through Defiance
Bulwark is your defiance against damage. Toggle intelligently, redirect attacks, and when active, cast without turning to maintain positioning.
Spear Precision
A perfect Spear wins fights before they begin. Aim for terrain intersections, predict enemy movements, and use it as initiation or escape prevention.
Vision is King
With Aghanim's Scepter, your soldiers become eyes. Place them strategically in Rosh pit, on high ground, or to track enemy movements.
Timing is Everything
Blink, Spear, Arena - the sequence matters, but timing matters more. Wait for enemy cooldowns, coordinate with team, and strike when your control is most devastating.
Hero Overview
Mars is a tanky initiator who excels at controlling positioning and creating isolated engagement zones. His combination of crowd control, durability, and area denial makes him exceptionally effective at initiating fights and protecting allies.
Mars's gameplay centers on carefully placed Spears to initiate or secure kills, followed by Arena of Blood to create a controlled battlefield. Bulwark provides passive tankiness while God's Rebuke offers burst damage and minor positioning control. His strength lies in forcing enemies to fight on his terms within his Arena or pinned against terrain.
Pros
- Excellent initiator with long-range Spear
- Arena of Blood creates isolated battlefield
- Bulwark provides excellent right-click mitigation
- God's Rebuke provides burst damage and vision
- Strong laner with Dauntless regen amp
Cons
- Spear of Mars requires terrain awareness
- Arena can be escaped by BKB and mobility spells
- Vulnerable to magic damage (only mitigates physical)
- Bulwark can be disabled by Break effects
- Limited mobility without Blink Dagger
Ability Analysis
Spear of Mars
Target PointMars throws his legendary spear, piercing enemy heroes and trees. The first enemy hit is skewered and pushed back, stopping if they hit a tree or building. If a tree is hit, it is destroyed.
Notes: Provides flying vision when traveling and lingers around impaled enemies. Turns enemies to face you - useful against heroes like Bristleback. Only primary target gets stunned. Can pin to trees, buildings, Outposts, Twin Gates, cliffs, shrines, and certain hero abilities like Clockwerk Cogs or Nature's Prophet Sprout. Cannot pin to rosh pit walls or Fissure.
God's Rebuke
ActiveMars smites enemies in front of him with his shield, dealing damage and applying a knockback to each enemy hit. Undoesforced movements when damaged.
Notes: Performs a true strike instant attack, proccing attack modifiers (excluding cleave). Can kill enemy couriers. The knockback doesn't count as disable, so won't cancel channels. Impact effect can indirectly reveal invisible units. Cannot knock enemies out of Disruptor's Kinetic Field.
Bulwark
ToggleMars wields his shield, blocking a percentage of damage from attacks and redirecting enemy projectiles aimed at nearby allies. When toggled on, gives phased movement and无需转身施法物品.
Notes: Reduces damage from attacks and instant attacks, not physical damage spells. Redirects attacks from cones behind Mars or within 100 units of allies. Works on towers, wards, and abilities like Medusa Split Shot. Active Bulwark allows casting items without turning, useful for TP escape combos. Toggle while channeling TP to benefit from damage reduction.
Arena of Blood
ActiveMars summons an arena of warriors who block enemy attacks and attack nearby enemies. The arena lasts for 6 seconds. With Facet: Blood Sport, enemies inside cannot see outside and vice versa (with specific vision rules).
Notes: Blocks all enemy attack projectiles from entering or leaving. With Blood Sport facet, creates vision isolation inside/outside. Enemies can enter with blink, invulnerable movement spells, or immunity, but mobility spells don't guarantee exit. Wall soldiers attack invisible units regardless of detection. Roshan cannot pass through walls.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Mars is a formidable front-liner who controls space exceptionally well with his kit. His Spear of Mars sets up plays by pinning enemies to terrain, while Arena of Blood creates a deadly battlefield where he thrives.
Key Insights:
- Master wall interactions for Spear of Mars - trees, cliffs, and even certain hero abilities count as valid pinning surfaces
- Bulwark makes you deceptively tanky, especially right-click damage
- Position your Arena of Blood to separate enemy teams and secure kills
Mars rewards calculated aggression and spatial awareness. Understanding terrain interactions and enemy escape mechanisms is crucial for maximizing his impact.
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Survive laning phase and secure Blink Dagger Key: Use Dauntless innate to monitor for ganks; Trade hits with Bulwark when possible; Look for Spear opportunities with available terrain; Farm efficiently between gank attempts Items: Blink Dagger (Top priority); Arcane Boots for mana; Magic Wand for burst healing Tips: Aim Spear at available walls or trees; Toggle Bulwark while trading hits; Watch buff indicators for enemy proximity; Use God's Rebuke to secure kills if needed
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Initiate fights and control objectives Key: Use Blink + Spear for devastating initiation; Place Arena to isolate key targets; Coordinate with team for follow-up; Control vision with Agh's soldiers if purchased Items: Black King Bar (against magic; Blade Mail (if right-click heavy); Utility items (Force Staff/Glimmer Cape) Tips: Perfect Spear + Arena combinations; Use Bulwark to protect teammates; Time Arena to block key escapes; Position to maximize soldier attacks
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Perfect initiation and vision control Key: Initiate on critical enemy heroes; Control vision with Agh's arena soldiers; Tank crucial abilities with Bulwark; Position Arena to cut off backline Items: Aghanim's Scepter (vision control); Assault Cuirass (team fight); Refresher Orb (double Arena) Tips: BKB timing is crucial; Can cancel enemies teleporting into Arena; Use soldiers for strategic vision; Coordinate with team for Arena positioning
Tips & Strategies
Spear of Mars Mastery
- Valid pinning surfaces include trees, buildings, Outposts, shrines, cliffs, and certain hero abilities like Clockwerk's Cogs or Nature's Prophet's Sprout.
- You cannot pin to rosh pit walls, most crystals on the map, or Earthshaker's Fissure.
- Use Spear to catch enemies after forced movements like God's Rebuke or knockbacks.
- Invisible units can be speared but only gain true sight if successfully impaled.
Bulwark Techniques
- Toggle Bulwark while channeling TP to benefit from damage reduction without breaking channel.
- Use Bulwark active to cast items without turning, useful for escaping or repositioning.
- Standing within 100 units of allies redirects attacks regardless of angle.
- Bulwark soldiers from Aghanim's Scepter can provide vision in rosh pit or on high ground.
Arena of Blood Control
- With Blood Sport facet, enemies inside cannot see out and vice versa unless through flying vision or special abilities.
- Enemies can blink in/out, use invulnerable movement spells, or pass through with BKB.
- Position Arena to cut off supports from team or isolate fleeing heroes.
- Quick-fingered players can cast Arena on enemies flying from Spear.
Item Guide
Starting Items
Basic stats and healing for laning durability. Dauntless benefits from regen items.
Iron Branch, Tango, Gauntlets of Strength
Core Items
Blink for positioning Spears and Arenas, Arcane for mana sustainability, Wand for burst healing.
Blink Dagger, Arcane Boots, Magic Wand
Situational Items
Blade Mail for punishing physical attackers, BKB for magic immunity, Pipe against magic damage.
Blade Mail, Black King Bar, Pipe of Insight, Heaven's Halberd
Counter Guide
Good With
Mars pairs excellently with heroes who can capitalize on his crowd control and isolation. Crystal Maiden can safely channel Freezing Field behind Mars's tanking, while Jakiro provides devastating AoE damage in the confined Arena space. Witch Doctor Death Ward becomes unstoppable when enemies are trapped in Mars's Arena. Invoker can land perfect combos in controlled situations. Earthshaker benefits from grouped enemies for Echo Slam. Lifestealer can infest Mars for surprise engagement inside the Arena. Mars creates the positioning and isolation these heroes need to maximize their damage output.
Bad Against
Mars faces challenges from heroes who can circumvent his terrain-based control or bypass his defenses. Viper and Nyx Assassin with burn effects and mana drain challenge Mars sustainability. Enchantress with Untouchable reduces Mars right-click effectiveness. Ancient Apparition can pierce through Bulwark with magic damage. Puck and Storm Spirit with mobility can escape Arena easily. Oracle can dispel Spear stuns and save allies. Shadow Demon can disable Mars with purification and illusions. Heroes with break effects or magic immunity (BKB carriers) can bypass Mars control mechanisms. The pattern is heroes who can avoid terrain-based control or burn through his defenses.
Good Against
Mars dominates heroes who rely on positioning or lack mobility. Illusion heroes like Phantom Lancer struggle against Mars's area control and Spear's single target effectiveness. Bristleback has his protection negated as Spear turns him around. Channeling heroes like Shadow Shaman, Witch Doctor, and Crystal Maiden are vulnerable to Spear interrupts. Position dependent heroes like Sniper, Drow Ranger, and Templar Assassin are easily isolated with Arena. Escape-lacking supports are prime targets for Spear combos. Heroes without BKB are vulnerable to extended fights in Mars's Arena. Mars excels at forcing fights in situations where enemies prefer to maintain distance, making him a nightmare against kiting heroes and escape-dependent carries.